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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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November 23, 2015 |
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We’ll sort them by ascending strengths. |
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Ardmore 1996/2013 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, licensed bottling)  A well-know label. In my experience, G&M’s Ardmores are usually rather softer than the officials – let alone most other indies. Colour: gold. Nose: softer, perhaps, beautiful, for sure. Maybe the mildest and roundest ‘expression’ of a mentholated peatiness, covered with manzanilla sauce and a few herbs, such as sage, parsley, and wild thyme. And some soot. There’s an old-Ardbegness in this. Mouth: excellent, truly excellent. G&M have selected this bottle, among others, to demonstrate that wood’s paramount (or something like that). Well, I’m sorry, but this one just shows that a great distillate’s even ‘more paramount’. In a way, this is like a record and a stereo. You could own the greatest McIntosh tube amp, it’ll never make Justin B. sound great. While Coltrane through the cheapest Samsung set will still sound fab imho. Well, am I not the king of crappy analogies?… Finish: quite long, super-balanced, marvellously peaty and citrusy. Comments: I think this is way better than older semi-official Ardmores by G&M. Yes you may see that as a buy signal. If you like. SGP:455 - 88 points. |
Well, I had thought that baby would have made for a nice apéritif, but it’s been much more than that. Fail! |
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Ardmore 24 yo 1990/2015 (48.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #66.67, 2nd fill sherry butt, 148 bottles)  Sorry, no picture, so I’ve put one of the Distillery’s control desk (taken in 2014, but could have been 1974 ;-)). Colour: pale gold. Nose: a very peaty Ardmore again, and in truth we’re very close to the G&M, this is just a little sharper, more mineral, and earthier. There’s a touch of menthol too, and probably cigars. Top notch. Mouth: bang! Earthy mint, green apples, more tobacco, some kind of sweet oil, citrons, wulong tea, and then more and more eucalyptus. Mouthwash and chlorophyll-and-mint chewing gum. And I really fin it excellent. A little sweetness in the background, as often with Ardmore. Peaches? Finish: quite long, very minty and piny, which is perfectly balanced with more lemon. This sugariness in the aftertaste is a little less thrilling. Comments: another beauty. Only the aftertaste was less brilliant. SGP:475 - 86 points. |
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Ardmore 1993/2015 (49.9%, Gordon & MacPhail, Exclusive for Whisky-Online, cask #5750, 176 bottles)  Colour: gold. Nose: oh, some smoky eucalyptus again! A touch of coconut in the background, some barley water, broom, vanilla, an earthy smoke, then vin jaune from Jura, fino sherry (but this is no sherry cask), and wet gravel after the first rain after a long sunny period. Mouth: it was a great American oak, which imparted lovely tropical notes, especially mangos and passion fruits that give it a Bowmore-y side. Then an eucalyptussy (apologies) smoke and these touches of white peaches that I often find in Ardmore. I find this extremely good, both ‘authentic’ and easy. In other words, malt whisky for your friends – and for you. There aren’t that many of them. Finish: quite long, zesty, smoky, well-chiselled. The aftertaste remains fresh and fruity. Comments: this one’s hard to resist. Everything’s just very perfect, which grants a 90-points score in my little tasting book. SGP:655 - 90 points. |
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Ardmore 14 yo 2000/2014 (58.3%, James MacArthur, Old Masters, barrel, cask #217) Colour: white wine. This should be sharp. Nose: it’s the closest to the distillate of them all, which the colour already suggested. Raw smoke, barley, smoky porridge, wet gravel again, soot, no fruits. Austere, but exceptionally well defined. With water: even more austere, even more on smoked porridge, soot, stone dust, ashes, floorcloth… Mouth (neat): little oak influence – if any – and a rather huge mentholated smokiness poured onto green apples and not-too-ripe peaches. Ziiiiing! A bitterness (small cider apples). With water: there, a few fruits. Green bananas, white peaches again (and again), and a little barley sugar. Finish: quite long, with ashes and ‘shy’ tinned fruits. Some white pepper in the aftertaste. The oak stating to argue. Comments: I love this diehard style, but I agree, it’s perhaps not for just everyone. SGP:454 - 85 points. |
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